No Miracles on Monday
by mjandersen
Summary: Alex has a complicated relationship with Mondays; they were good to her once, but these days she's not a huge fan. A call that will change the course of her life only serves to complicate her feelings for Mondays, and her feelings for her ex-fiancée as well.
1. Chapter 1

Alex Danvers had always liked Mondays.

She was born on a Monday, in fact.

As a child, Mondays meant returning to school, which Alex could never get enough of. And after school on Mondays. Mom would pick her up and take her to the lab where she'd don her very own lab coat and safety glasses and her mom would teach her how to blow things up.

Mondays meant a fresh start, a return yet a new beginning. Mondays meant high energy, high morale throughout the DEO, pushing Alex forward in her work. Breakthroughs always seemed to happen on Mondays, when her mind was fresh and her eyes refreshed.

They meant waking up in her fiancée's strong arms, calm and warm and secure. Monday mornings in particular came to be a favorite of Alex's. She'd always twist in Maggie's arms, lay gentle kisses all over her face until those soulful brown eyes opened and a mouth kisses her back. They'd lay together in the silence for a few minutes, soft smiles and eyes half open, basking in the glory of waking up to one another. And then Alex would get up to use the bathroom and come out to find Maggie setting coffee on the island for her, filling her own with agave, which Alex would always tease her about. They'd listen to Maggie's masterful pump up playlist over breakfast. Unlike the rest of the week, Mondays were slow and calm, and on Mondays, Maggie always gave her the longest goodbye kiss before the pair went their separate ways to work.

They got together on a Monday. And they got engaged on a Monday. All the big memorable dates drilled into Alex's head: Mondays.

Monday nights always came with a burning desire to leave work on time, to cuddle with Maggie on the couch as they wait for their takeout to arrive and Alex always stumbled through excitement to tell Maggie about her latest breakthrough in the lab, or put her head over Maggie's heart, Maggie's fingers stroking through her hair, listening as Maggie tells the tale of the latest alien species who've made their way into her heart. Maggie's heart always beat the loudest on Mondays.

But she and Maggie broke up on a Monday.

Suddenly, Mondays aren't fun anymore.

Alex wakes up in a bed that never seemed too big until that first Monday without Maggie, shivering and sad. On Mondays, Alex gets out of bed immediately, not wanting to spend more time there than necessary. That very first Monday of waking up alone for the first time in a year, Alex finds herself standing in front of the island with a cup of Maggie's favorite brew in hand, a double toasted bagel on the plate in front of her. She can't stand the silence, so she puts on some music. Cyndi Lauper has never made her feel so emotional, and if her coffee tastes a little saltier than usual, she pretends not to notice.

She doesn't linger on her way out the door anymore.

Now, Mondays include staying late at the lab, though not too late after the time Kara had to fly a beaker into the ocean when Alex absentmindedly mixed two highly reactive compounds because they produced a color so strikingly similar to Maggie's eyes, and nearly blew up the whole of the DEO. Now Mondays include microwave meals and lots of bourbon in a different bar every week because scotch and tequila and the alien bar are tainted by the memory of life she might've lived and a love she asked to leave.

Alex doesn't care for Mondays anymore. Doesn't much care for anything at all.

She's sitting in one of those unnamed bars on another unremarkable Monday, leaned back against the unfamiliar upholstery of a booth she has all to herself listening to the steady thrum of the Top 40 hit playing through the sound system, willing it to lull her to sleep right there the way Maggie's heartbeat once did.

Her ring tone cuts through the synthy pop beat.

She's five shots in and she lifts the phone to her ear lazily, drawls out "Danvers" in a casual tone.

At first, she struggles to hear what's being said over the music, so she closes out her tab and steps outside. Alex recognizes the voice; Maggie's captain. Why is Maggie's captain calling? She puts all of her focus into listening to the man's dry baritone and as her brain puts the pieces together, the flush on Alex's face leaves her and she sobers immediately as he recounts the evening's events for her.

She's got to get to National City Teaching Hospital. Maggie's been shot and it doesn't look good.

 **AN: Sorry to leave you guys with such a short start.** **This is also posted to my AO3 account under my username there: mts.** **I'm going to attempt to branch into multi-chapter fics rather than the one shots I'm used to.** **I think this story will be three or four chapters, maybe more if I'm patient with myself. Either way, I hope you'll stick with me until the end!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Wow, put enough non-Sanvers fics in the Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer tag, and my muse will return from the war. Seriously find that so annoying. But yes, I'm at the mercy of my muse and also my academic schedule, so sorry for the long update times. Can't guarantee anything more expedient.**

 **Any who, without further ado—**

She's not really sure how she got to the hospital, but she must have called Kara. Maybe Winn or James, even, considering how they're all huddled up around her in silence, waiting.

J'onn stands off to the side, arms crossed as he gets the details from Maggie's captain.

Various colleagues of Maggie's have been in and out, coming off day shifts or just before starting night shifts. Alex recognizes a few of them, but quickly loses herself in thought after she spots Evan Sweeney, Maggie's closest PD pal, catches his eye as he grimaces a greeting.

It's been six months since Alex broke her own heart but it fractures further, cleaving in jagged edges as she realizes she's still Maggie's emergency contact.

Why?

There are so many people that care about Maggie. Why leave Alex her emergency contact?

Alex can't stand the waiting, wishes there was someone she could go after, a manhunt she could put her energy behind, but no. Maggie took down the assailant as she was going down. So, all that's left to do is wait.

Suddenly, there's no way Alex can sit still anymore.

She paces.

She knows the bullet entered Maggie's right shoulder just below her clavicle. Her mind starts working through the anatomy of the chest, what muscles and functions could be affected, how they'll handle Maggie's recovery.

Yes, they. And yes, recovery.

Alex refuses to confront the idea that Maggie's injury could be more than that.

Except now she's thinking about it.

Her carefully confined steps are becoming a bit less even, and she closes her eyes and shakes her head in effort to clear her mind of these offending thoughts. But all Alex manages to do is make herself dizzy, exacerbate the pounding in her head.

She can feel her heartbeat in her skull and every thrum sends her pain receptors into overdrive.

Alex turns on her heel, the about-face bringing her face to face with Eliza.

Who had called her? Had Alex? She's not sure. All she knows is that her mom's arms are around her and there's salty liquid coming out of her eyes. She burrows into her mother's shoulders as Eliza rubs her back.

As Eliza guides her back to a chair, Alex briefly wonders if she should call Maggie's parents.

She decides against it, knows Maggie wouldn't want them involved.

Would Maggie even want her involved? Had she simply forgotten to change her emergency contact following the break up, or did Maggie really want her to be made aware in situations like these? Alex didn't know.

Then again, she hadn't removed Maggie from her emergency contact list either.

Alex looks around the room, which is full of friends and family and colleagues.

Eliza runs her perfectly maintained nails over Alex's scalp as she cries harder, thinking about Maggie laying in surgery on her own, thinking about Maggie lying in bed alone, thinking about Maggie dying. Alone.

And then, Alex is mad.

How could she have taken this away from Maggie? The support system she'd cut off at the knees when she told Maggie they could no longer be together.

Damn it.

She'd abandoned Maggie just like her parents had.

Fuck.

She resolves to rebuild that trust and support system once Maggie begins her recovery, because she's strong and she's brave and she doesn't give up without a fight and Alex just knows she's going to recover. And even if they can't be together, Alex is going to be there for Maggie, as long as she'll have her.

"Thanks for coming, mom," Alex lifts her head, swiping tears from her lashes before they can fall.

"Of course, Alex. I'll always come when my girls need me."

Her girls.

Alex knows Eliza isn't just talking about herself and her sister.

She's seen Maggie as a third child since the first time she saw the two of them together, Alex's smile brighter than it'd ever been in the years since Jeremiah's death. Reports of Maggie's solved cases are pulled from the paper and put up on the fridge right beside Kara's articles. Alex's accomplishments are kept under wraps, given the nature of the DEO's work, but Eliza calls to check in on her progresses and to celebrate her successes every week.

She's even help Maggie talk through a case that's hit a wall, staying on the phone far longer than she's planned to just to hear that aha moment in Maggie's voice. So, to say Maggie is anything less than one of her girls would be insulting.

Alex takes comfort in knowing this. In knowing her mom has been keeping up with Maggie in spite of it all.

Suddenly the doors open, and everything and everyone goes silent. Alex starts to stand, before her eyes take in the sight before her.

An officer Maggie's gone out for drinks with a few times- Diaz- comes in, holding the hand of a small child. The boy looks scared, surrounded by all these people. Alex wonders who he is, thought this was a private waiting room.

And then she remembers Maggie's new partner, Dvorak, was also involved in the shootout. They'd just started working together a few weeks before Alex broke up with Maggie and she'd only mentioned the fact that he was widowed, and that he had a young son, in passing.

The blond boy couldn't be more than six years old, if Alex had to guess. She couldn't help but stare at the little boy, who stared right back, striking green eyes brimming with tears.

Suddenly, the boy drops his guardian's hand and starts walking toward her.

 **AN: Still figuring out what I'm going to do about the whole kids situation. I've got a lot of complicated feelings about their break up and the reason for it, so I'm trying to figure out what I'll do with that. I'm fairly certain in the direction I'm going in, but I want to treat all perspectives with the respect they deserve. As such, we'll see Alex, and later Maggie, wrestling with their own positions on the matter. Eventually, a conclusion will be reached. As always, feel free to comment if you've got opinions/critiques/compliments. All are appreciated.**

 **Alright folks. Catch ya in the next update!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: So, we're back finally, with a longer chapter that I think may double the word count! Hope you all enjoy.**

"You're Alex, from the picture on Maggie's desk!"

The statement startles the agent, who raises an eyebrow at the kid. Maggie never even mentioned Dvorak's kid's name.

The kid in question mistakes her silence for apprehension. He stands up straight in front of her, head held high and holds out a little hand. Alex shakes it before she knows what she's doing, still confused how this kid knows her name.

"I'm Jonathan but everybody calls me Johnny. My mom always says not to talk to strangers, but you're not a stranger. Maggie has a picture of you on her desk. And now I'm not a stranger anymore."

Alex smiles, a genuine smile, for the first time since Maggie left the apartment that day all those months ago.

"It's nice to meet you, Johnny."

It is only then that the boy takes his eyes off Alex, seemingly noticing for the first time that there are other people in the room. His eyes trail from Eliza's arm, still wrapped around Alex's shoulders to her face.

Alex looks up at Diaz, who raises a brow. Alex decides the distraction will be good for her. She waves Diaz off to sit near some of Maggie's brothers in blue. Diaz doesn't even look back.

"Alex, is that your mommy?"

Eliza squeezes Alex's shoulder and gets up to join J'onn and Kara.

Alex has to smile. She nods at the boy, who edges ever closer. Alex picks him up without a second thought and sets him down on her lap, settling back in the hard, plastic chair.

Johnny gets settled on her lap, pulling the chain Alex has been wearing her engagement ring on out of the hidden cover of her shirt. Johnny palms it, running the chain through his hands, and then slips the ring on and off his thumb.

"My daddy works with Maggie. Maggie's really pretty, Alex. Just like her ring. She told me you're fancies with her. Daddy said you're a lucky lady cause you get to marry her."

Fancies. Damn it, that's adorable.

Alex grimaces bitterly and purses her lips. Her eyes are itching.

She's at a clear disadvantage here, having known nothing but the kid's existence prior to the breakup, and she hasn't babysat since sophomore year of high school, so her frame of reference for the latest and greatest in all things kid isn't gonna get her out of this conversation.

Johnny's brow furrows and he looks up at Alex, green piercing eyes filled with an adorable seriousness.

"Daddy says when you marry someone you have to do your very best to make them happy. Do you make Maggie happy, Alex? My daddy and my mommy are married, but mommy's an angel. Daddy says she's happy now. But Maggie seems sad, Alex. I think she's homesick. When can she come back to your house Alex?"

Alex inhales sharply at the question.

She wishes it were their house, that Maggie could just come home and they could just forget about everything that'd occurred two months ago. Alex wishes she could just have the life they'd planned.

And Alex's heart clenches at the idea of Maggie, whom she broke up with over the issue of children, staying with her partner of three months and his precocious son.

"I bet you can make her happier than me or daddy. And you'll make her smile big like before. You're her fancy Alex, it's your job."

Johnny is so resolute in this belief and Alex sighs because no, it's not her job anymore. But that doesn't mean she doesn't ache for Maggie's pain. They'd be married a month now if they'd stayed together.

Alex mourns the life they didn't get to live.

"Maggie and I—"

Alex cuts herself off.

There is no more "Maggie and I", there's just Alex and just Maggie.

"We're not fiancées anymore, bud. We decided we were better off being friends."

It isn't a lie, but it isn't quite a truth either. She's not sure if it's for Johnny's benefit or her own, but the little boy accepts it, fiddling with her necklace some more.

"Alex, did Maggie get hurt with my daddy?"

"Yeah, Johnny."

"You must really love her to sit here forever and ever. I hope she gets better real fast and you guys can be fancies again, Alex."

Alex smiles bitterly. Her eyes are stinging again. She elects to ignore the l-word.

"Yeah, kiddo, me too."

They sit in silence.

Alex wonders if it's even possible to go back to what she and Maggie were. She fidgets with a lock of the boy's hair, takes in the unmistakable scent of youth. Alex almost forgets where she is, why she is here to begin with.

The steady back and forth of Johnny swinging the necklace, pulling the ring on and off slows and eventually stops completely. Alex thinks Johnny must have fallen asleep.

"Alex, is my daddy gonna die?"

Johnny looks up at Alex, eyes wet and wild with fear and Alex, Alex is floored.

Alex debates the possible responses.

She knows Dvorak was conscious when they brought him in, which is more than she can say for Maggie, and he'd looked to be in good spirits, a great sign. He took a bullet to the meaty part of the thigh and the doctors didn't seem extraordinarily worried.

But he'd still needed emergency surgery. When surgery is involved, death is always on the table.

The uncertainty of it all makes Alex's head spin. She remembers being in a similar position with the fate of her own dad, but over time the corrosiveness lessened, and she's almost forgotten what that initial terror felt like.

Truthfully, she can't be certain what'll happen.

Alex decides Johnny doesn't need to know that, but she doesn't want to mislead him either. Somehow the opinion of this child she'd known for half an hour really matters to her. She settles for a middle ground.

"I don't really know buddy".

Johnny drop the necklace like it's burned him and dives off Alex's lap almost as soon as the words are out of her mouth. His face turns white and his eyes well up.

"But you're a doctor, Maggie said. You know everything. Stop lying to me."

The conviction in his voice, the certainty makes Alex flinch, and the loudness causes the rest of the room to zone in on the pair. Johnny's face is a crisscross of tears and snot.

"You're lying to me. Daddy's gonna die, isn't he? I want Maggie. Where is she? I want daddy. I WANT DADDY."

Johnny's cries grow hysterical, his face tomato red and Alex is unsure what to do, just knows she wants Maggie too. He keeps shouting, alternating between wanting Maggie, wanting his daddy, and wanting Alex to tell him daddy will be okay. His breathing is erratic and Alex can tell he's working himself into getting sick.

She knows she won't be able to forgive herself if she gives Johnny any sort of misdirection, so instead, Alex does what she wishes she had been able to ask for when her own dad was missing in action. She quickly stands, scoops the boy up in her arms, and rubs his back, bouncing back and forth through his thrashing and fist banging and infinite seeming tears.

Alex doesn't say much, can't stand all the eyes on them. She just keeps up the soothing until Johnny has calmed down considerably.

She decides they can sit again and adjusts them both so Johnny is comfortably resting with his head flush on her chest.

The snot-and-tear stain on the grey shirt she's wearing eventually stops growing, and Johnny stops moving altogether, breath evening out into a steady calmness. Alex looks down to ensure he's actually asleep, and then settles in for a long night, permitting herself to succumb to sleep with the certainty that someone in the packed waiting room will wake her when word of Maggie and Dvorak's conditions comes in.

 **AN: So that's that. I tend to write in spurts and have no control over the ebbs and flows of my inspiration but I must say all of your guys' support in the form of comments, kudos, favorites, follows, and bookmarks is extremely helpful to my motivation. Can't guarantee faster updates because real life is about to hit me left and right for the next five months. Hopefully having created a plan for the direction of this fic in advance of finishing this chapter will expedite the writing process. Until next time, folks.**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Alright, more cowbell. And a timely update to say thanks for your continued support and interest in this story. It means the world to me!**

As it turns out, Alex cannot sleep for long.

Each time she closes her eyes, her mind fits between Johnny's expectant, accusatory face and the tear-clouded memory of Maggie's in her mind.

Both equally heart-wrenching. Both making Alex wonder if she'd made the right decision that day in the apartment.

It's three hours before an update comes in from Dvorak, who is in for a couple of months of physical therapy before he thinks about desk duty. Despite the fact that visiting hours are over, the nurses cave and allow Johnny to visit his father, so Officer Diaz takes him off Alex's hands, but not before Johnny lays a shy kiss on Alex's cheek.

Alex can't deny she misses the weight in her lap, on her chest. In its place, settles in an unwelcomed anxiety for the additional four hours she spends in the waiting room.

Officers drift in and out as the day shift ends and the night shift begins. Alex pays them no mind. She closes her eyes, head propped up against the cool wall behind her as she wills time to go faster so she doesn't have to continue sitting with her conflicting thoughts. She feels a presence at her side after a while on her own and cracks an eye open, to find Eliza offering a water bottle. Alex takes it with a grateful nod.

Eliza settles into the seat next to Alex, placing a hand on her arm.

"You handled that meltdown like a pro, Alex. You've always had great instincts. But I know it wasn't easy. Are you alright, honey? I didn't have the chance to ask before."

Alex flounders, unsure what the answer to that question is.

"I don't really—"

The double doors open and another scrub-clad doctor steps in.

Alex is out of her seat faster than the doctor can ask for the family of Maggie Sawyer. If the guy is shocked, he hides it well.

"Are you Detective Sawyer's emergency contact, Alex Danvers?"

Alex nods, eyes searing into this man, trying to gage the outcome from his posture, his tone having given nothing away. Her heart is pounding and there's a terrible taste of anxiety in her mouth. She's sweating and her hearing is cutting in and out. Alex thinks maybe this is how Johnny felt just hours ago.

All she knows is, she doesn't want to feel it again.

Alex's eyes zero in on the man's thin lips as he assures them that Maggie is extraordinarily lucky-the bullet missed her clavicle by millimeters and came the fleshy part of her shoulder, prognosis is long, but the outcome looks good.

He says more. Alex catches something about a sling, physical therapy, and a small chance Maggie will need occupational therapy, but she's too relieved to listen properly. She knows everybody else is listening, so she'll have somebody fill her in later.

Alex's eyes flutter closed and she inhales deep and slow.

Maggie's alive. Maggie's alive. Maggie's alive.

Alex's heart calms down and the ringing in her ears dulls. She thinks she might finally allow herself to cry, out of sheer relief when she feels Kara nudge her shoulder forward.

Her eyes shoot open and Alex realizes everyone is staring expectantly at her. She sends a puzzled look to her sister who reiterates what the guy in the scrubs has said. He'll be back to take Alex to Maggie's shortly. She won't be up for some time due to the anesthesia and only one person is able to spend the night keeping her company. It hurts Alex's heart how the unspoken agreement among the room's occupants is that the overnighter will be her.

Winn and James promise to stop by tomorrow after work. Maggie's captain puts a hand on Alex's shoulder, tells her to take care of NCPD's finest, and heads out with the rest of the NCPD stragglers. J'onn kisses her forehead and tells her to take all the time she and Maggie need and makes his leave. Kara tells Alex she'll be by in the morning with clothes and coffee. Alex nods gratefully.

Finally, it's just Alex and Eliza.

"I was so scared mom."

The confession comes out before Alex can even process she's said it.

Eliza puts her arms around Alex, and Alex takes in the calming lavender of her mother's shampoo.

They sit for a minute as Alex composes herself, hands flying to her eyes as she stops tears in their tracks. She can't help but wonder how her mother managed this.

"I just tried to be there. That's all I could do."

It is now that Alex realizes she's asked her question aloud. Her brows knit together and she decides to be brave, or as brave as one can be when one avoids eye contact with one's mother. "Would you have had me, taken in Kara, if you knew what would happen to dad? Not the Cadmus part, but the part where we thought he was dead for all those years?"

Eliza exhales audibly. Blue eyes scan the edges of the wall where it meets the ceiling as she contemplates her answer. "I could never regret having you, or your sister. It was you and your sister that kept me going during that time. I'm not sure where I'd be today if I didn't have you both. You two are such a big part of who I am, I could never think of not having you in my life."

Alex nods, swipes hands under her eyes once more.

"However, if I could spare you and Kara the pain and heartache you both faced when your father went missing, I'd do it in a heartbeat. It was terrible, of course, to experience as an adult, but it was unbearable, to watch you girls go through that. I'd give anything to take that pain and suffering away from you."

Alex lets the tears fall freely now. Fuck.

Just as Alex goes to respond, thin-lipped-scrubs guy returns, though luckily seems to sense the seriousness of the moment and stays by the door.

"Thanks mom," Alex says, pulling her mother in tightly.

"Of course, sweetie," her mom rubs her back. "I'll be here tomorrow at eight, alright? Be good, and look after our girl, okay?"

Alex nods resolutely.

Her mother walks her over to the waiting doctor, squeezes her hand and heads back to the hotel.

The doctor wordlessly brings Alex to a room which is lit only by the monitors. He whispers that there's a cot inside for her to sleep on and that she can find one of the nurses should she need anything, and then leaves Alex to get settled.

The adrenaline and alcohol finally catch up to Alex, who crawls into the makeshift bed and promptly falls asleep.

When she wakes up, Alex sits up on the cot, stretches her arms out above her head and scrunches her face. She registers the headache before her eyes are even open and she highly regrets not asking Kara to fly to her apartment for her night guard. She sighs in frustration. The palms of her hands dig into her eye sockets and her teeth clench ever tighter.

"Stop clenchin' your jaw, a'ways gives you headaches", the gravely, slurred admonition catches Alex off guard. She'd almost forgotten where she is. Shit. She'd intended to wake up early, hoped to form a game plan for the inevitable conversation to come, and she sure as hell didn't plan for the pounding in her temples.

But of course, life very rarely goes according to plan, especially not to Alex Danvers and Maggie Sawyer, and so Alex sucks it up and accepts the fact that she's about to wing one of the most important conversations she's ever had.

 **AN: I'm still really excited about this story and I hope you guys are too. Please keep supporting me as I navigate through all the ideas swimming around in my mind and put them out on the internet for y'all. It makes a huge difference. Any who, see ya on the flip side, folks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Senior year's a doozy folks. Also, I think we're winding down on this fic, which has been a doozy for me too. Maybe a chapter or two left.**

Alex opens her eyes slowly, turning toward the hospital bed and takes Maggie in for the first time.

"Thanks," she says lightly as she rakes eyes up and down Maggie's form. Alex catalogues the IV in her right hand, resting on the pale blue blanket, notices the bruising on her inner arm where clear failures had been made in attempt to reach Maggie's finicky veins. She takes note of the sling carefully wrapped around Maggie's body, supporting her injured muscles.

Finally, Alex settles on Maggie's face, which looks ashen and worn, but she's smiling. Well, more of a grimace, but Alex will take anything short of outright anger.

"Pain meds?"

Maggie's eyes have fluttered shut, but she nods gratefully as Alex reaches for the call button and summons a nurse in to check her out.

A nurse answers the call almost immediately and before she knows it, Alex is sent out into the hallway so that the doctor can examine Maggie. Alex is met by Kara, coffee carrier in one hand, duffle bag slung over the other shoulder, and her mom, who pulls Alex in and sucks the anxiety out of her lungs in a way only a mother's hug can do.

Kara's hug is not quite as comfortable, and a bit nerve-wracking, given the coffee carrier still in hand and the fervor with which she enters the embrace, but it's comforting nonetheless.

She pulls out of the hug with a question on her face that Eliza gives voice to.

"Honey, what are you doing out here?"

"Um, Maggie just woke up. Doctor's in with her now, so I'm…here, waiting," Alex gestures vaguely at the narrow stretch of hallway. Her head is still pounding and she rubs her forehead, squinting in the early morning sunlight.

Suddenly, there's a bottle of pills and a water bottle in her hands and before she knows it, the cool liquid is washing the capsules down her throat. Alex catches a flash of movement in her peripheral as the door to Maggie's room opens and the nurse steps out with a kind word over her shoulder.

Kara nudges her forward, bouncing on her feet. She won't admit it, but she's been worried for Maggie. Alex takes the coffees off her sister's hands and re-enters, shooting Maggie an apologetic look as Kara comes bounding in, followed shortly by Eliza.

The surprise of Eliza's presence shows on Maggie's drugged face before she can think to hide it. She's touched, hadn't expected Eliza to come all the way from Midvale, hadn't even expected Alex to be here when she woke up, or at all if she's being honest.

Eliza looks at Maggie with such relief, it can't all be the result of today. The worry on her face is a culmination of the past few months, not knowing how her third child has been.

Maggie watches as Eliza pulls one strap of her bag off her shoulder and begins fussing inside before she finds what she's looking for. What she's looking for turns out to be a ridiculously large knit blanket. Maggie finds herself speechless as Eliza drops the bag, rounds the bed and wraps her in the soft midnight blue fabric.

"I've never been much for knitting, but this is important. I'm not sure if you know this, but we have a family tradition of knitting blankets for new family members dating back to my grandmother. I'm sorry it took so long after your Danvers family debut to get this to you," Eliza says as she smooths the fabric around Maggie's body.

"Eliza…," Maggie trails off, voice scratchy from disuse, she tells herself, not emotion. But there are tears in her eyes.

Maggie reaches forward with her good hand, the other immobilized in a sling, and pulls Eliza into the tightest one-armed hug she's ever given.

"Thank you," Maggie whispers brokenly in her ear, tears streaming down her face. Eliza's embrace feels almost the way she remembers her own mother's: warm and inviting and forgiving. She never wants to let go but swallows the feeling and releases the blonde from her death grip.

As replacement, Maggie fingers the soft fabric of the blanket, her favorite color. She wonders how Eliza knows this, does not recall having been asked. But of course, Alex knew, knows.

She takes a second to compose herself, swallowing hard and swiping at her eyes before looking back up.

Kara's initial exuberance turns to sheepishness as Maggie's gaze turns to her. She gestures to the duffle on her shoulder, "Figured you'd want some of your own clothes. I hope you don't mind."

The sudden burst of emotion leaves Maggie tired, so she just shakes her head and smiles her thanks.

It is absolutely silent, save for the heart monitor and the steady drip of the IV in Maggie's arm. She almost says more, confesses she didn't think anybody would be here and that alone is enough, but she stops herself.

Kara's eagerness to fill the silence kicks in and she hesitantly says, "I think James and Winn were gonna stop by before work if you're up for it. If not, I can let them know another time would be better, whatever works for you."

Maggie chuckles.

Kara's not on the job, but she's got a penchant for keeping the conversation going, in spite of herself. Maggie knows, thanks to the elective journalism class she'd taken senior year of college, that all the juicy comments come through silence, when you let the other person sweat it out. It's certainly garnered results for Maggie in the interrogation room.

"I wouldn't mind a quick visit."

Maggie's not sure what to make of her former family popping out of the woodwork in her time of need. It's like the reverse of the fair-weather friend. The bad weather family…

Her thoughts trail off when she notices her hand, the good one, feels incredibly cold all of a sudden, realizes as she hears more than sees Alex's chair scraping the ground to make room for her almost family to say goodbye that they'd been holding hands the whole time, Alex's thumb running soothingly over the back of her hand.

It's almost too close for comfort, but Maggie's in desperate need, and she thinks it hurts her heart a little, though whether that's the emotion or the bullet wound is anyone's guess. She might even be pouting a little bit but is able to wipe it off her face as a flash of blonde curls take over her field of vision.

Kara hugs her lightly, and jets out with the promise of James and Winn. Eliza stays behind a minute.

She takes Maggie's hand, but it doesn't quite feel the same. Still warm, still a comfort, maybe even a little less uncomfortable. She locks eyes with Maggie, "I know the circumstances are still raw and stinging, but we're here for you sweetie, whatever you need. All of us. You understand me?"

Maggie nods, as tears fill her eyes again. These drugs are making a mess of her.

Eliza hugs her, tucks in an errant corner of the blanket, and departs with a warning to Alex that if she doesn't kick the boys out quickly and let Maggie sleep, there'll be Eliza to answer to.

Almost as soon as the door shuts, it's open again as the two boys in question file in. James holds a bouquet of lilies in a beautiful vase, while Winn has somehow managed to find a plush police dog in the gift shop.

They don't stay for long, just enough time to ensure Maggie's okay with their own eyes. James commends Maggie's bravery, tells her to watch the papers for a featured story, according to his journo friends. Winn compliments Maggie's fast judgement and impeccable aim, having gone over surveillance footage of the incident in question the night before.

"James watched too. With a notebook."

"Woah, don't get any ideas. Remember you're a civilian," Maggie responds, half amused, half annoyed.

Winn even challenges Maggie to a game of pool once she's got the all clear, jokes that he may finally have a chance at winning a game against somebody.

"Fat chance. She could take you right now and win, Schott," quips Alex, which earns a smirk from Maggie, though it quickly turns into a yawn. Alex takes this as her queue to usher the boys out of the room. They make Alex promise to take care of their girl amidst the not so gentle shoving out the door.

Alex nods, and the chair is back in position almost in sync with the shutting of the door. Alex doesn't take Maggie's hand.

"So…how ya doin'? Didn't really have the chance to ask before."

"Good, drugs are helpful."

"You should probably get some rest, you've got dark circles the size of dinner plates under your eyes," Alex means to be considerate, helpful even, if only to buy herself more time to figure out what exactly she's going to say to Maggie.

Maggie shakes her head, "Nah, I just woke up. I don't wanna ruin my sleep schedule. I can make it."

"Maggie-"

"I-"

Whatever either woman intends to say is out the window as the door knob to Maggie's room jiggles back and forth. Alex discreetly puts her hand where her service weapon is, positions herself ever so slightly in front of Maggie and is ready for whoever pops up.

The door opens slowly to reveal little Johnny Dvorak and his father, Gregg, somehow navigating the doorway with crutches. Alex quickly reaches the door and holds it for the two to find their way into the room.

"Mags, you're looking worse for the wear. What happened to you?"

There's a teasing energy in the room, as Maggie breaks into a shit-eating grin. "I partnered up with you, jerk. Even saved your life. I think you should be grateful."

Dvorak throws his head back and laughs. Johnny clambers his way to Maggie's bedside, seemingly more subdued than Alex had seen him the night before. He's just tall enough to rest his head on the bed, and he takes Maggie's hand as he does.

"Thanks for saving daddy, Maggie. You're the bestest. Right, daddy?"

Gregg Dvorak concedes that yeah, she's pretty great. "But don't go letting that get to your head, Sawyer. Or you won't be able to fit through the precinct doors."

Maggie cracks a smile and is about to deliver a zinger right back when Diaz comes running into the room, practically misses the door in the rush.

"Dvorak, I leave for five minutes and you're gone? You're not even cleared to get out of bed yet, and where'd you get those crutches anyway? Ugh never mind. You gotta get back to bed before the doctor kills somebody. Hopefully you."

Diaz pauses momentarily as she hears the laughter coming from the small boy at Maggie's side.

"And you," she directs a playful tease Johnny's way, "I deputized you. You weren't supposed to let him out of your sight! What happened?"

Johnny stands up straight and answers with the confident righteousness only a child could possess. "I wanted to see Maggie an' Alex. And daddy did too. I never let him leave my sight, just like you said."

Diaz rolls her eyes playfully. "Alright, you got me there, kiddo. But really, we gotta get this show on the road, I see the doctor's heading down for rounds. We don't wanna get in trouble with the doctor, do we?"

"Detective Sawyer, glad to see you're awake. Alex. Dvoraks, I'll be waiting in the hallway."

Dvorak props the crutches up on the chair Alex had vacated and turns on his heel to face Maggie. He looks down at his son, who has somehow gotten Maggie to play with his hair during the course of this adventure. Then he looks Maggie in the eyes, hard and long and steady.

After a minute or so of silence, he nods solemnly, which Maggie responds to in kind, before he picks up his crutches and turns to Johnny.

"Alright son, time to go. We gotta let Maggie rest."

Johnny is reluctant, but does as he's told, only after Alex picks him up so he can Eskimo kiss a tired Maggie, pulling her into a hug that borders on painful, and finally gives Alex a kiss on the cheek as she sets him back down.

The surprise must show on Alex's face because Johnny qualifies the kiss, "Thank you for helping me while the doctors were with daddy and Maggie. You're the bestest too, Alex. That's why you guys are s'pposed to be fancies together, and wives. You're a match just like Go Fish."

"Okay buddy, that's enough. It's time to go now, for real," Alex has never been more grateful for one Gregg Dvorak.

She sees the two out, nods to Officer Diaz, and watches to ensure that they make it down the long hallway back to Dvorak's room before turning back to her fate, only to find Maggie has succumbed to the drugs or the tiredness, or a combination of the two. Either way, she's out cold and Alex can't help but be touched that Maggie still feels comfortable being so vulnerable in front of her.

Alex takes the time to change into the clothes Kara had left them and sinks down in her chair.

As she waits for the doctor to reach their room for rounds, she takes Maggie's hand in both of her own, running hands over each muscle, tendon, and bone.

She's not sure how much Maggie heard of Johnny's speech before passing out, if she'd heard it at all, if Maggie would agree with his wise words, but Alex does. And she has to smile at how right it feels to hold her whole world in the palms of her hands once more.

 **AN: Sorry The Convo doesn't happen in this chapter. Just too much to take care of first, and I want to give the convo as much love and attention as it deserves. Plus I feel like it's very true to life, or at least true to Maggie and Alex's lives that things don't always happen as you plan for them to.**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: lol my b folks. Mental health is a suggestion, no? Half of this was typed on my old beer laden/half functioning PC rather than my Mac, so excuse any missing letters. I tried to fix them all, but who knows?**

 **also you can thank Chyler for this update. Meeting her last night haven me the kick I needed to get this done.**

 **Anyway, this is the end, I'm afraid. I hope I did it justice.**

The week Maggie spends in the hospital passes by in a blur of visits from friends and coworkers interspersed with physical therapy.

Maggie hasn't had much time to herself and as a result, she is exhausted by the sheer amount of people she's interacted with, not to mention the physical toll her body has been through. Alex has been by her side through it all, keeping an eye on Maggie's moods, ushering people out at the first sign of exhaustion.

Maggie is grateful for her presence, which never feels like a burden or a bother. With Alex, there are no fronts to put on, there is no fear of losing it in front of her and subsequently losing her respect.

She feels comfortable laying in silence, letting out a few frustrated tears when she can't get her shoulder to move with the ease she expects it to in PT, feels comfortable enough to break down in pain in Alex's arms once the physical therapist is out of sight.

What she really appreciates is how Alex isn't expecting anything of her, rather helping Maggie to mine through the emotional clusterfuck that is her mind in a way she's never experienced before, not even with Emily.

But most of all, Maggie is grateful when Alex pops back into the room with the doctor on call who prescribes her a pain medication she knows she'll take very sparingly, and hands her the discharge papers.

A condition of Maggie's release is that someone stay with her to ensure she gets to where she needs to be and its obvious Alex is to be that someone.

Maggie is so excited to be leaving, she hardly hears a word.

Luckily, she has Alex, taking meticulous mental notes at her side, asking all the important questions about further PT and follow up appointments and the like.

Maggie almost jokes about Nurse Alex, but she isn't sure how well that would go over. Nurse Ratched might be more like it, given their history.

It's all so routine, from the moment Alex helps Maggie into the passenger's seat of her own car, to the way Alex insists on putting their bags into the trunk, to the moment Alex reaches over and puts a reassuring hand on Maggie's thigh, that Maggie finds herself forgetting her real routine.

It's only when Alex starts pulling into the parking space next to her bike in their old building that Maggie snaps out of it. It seems Alex does too, gasping as she puts the car into park, turning toward Maggie with embarrassment written on her face.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. I should've asked, I was just so happy to see you happy and I guess I forgot about everything else, I didn't mean to—"

Maggie sits in the passenger's seat, right arm hugging her body, left already positioned due to the sling she's got to wear. She sits straight up in her seat, a little too rigid for her shoulder's taste, but the tension in her body rivals the tension in the car and all Maggie can focus on is the bug slowly crawling its way up her dash and not the fact that Alex took her home.

"Danvers," Maggie's voice is like steel and Alex swallows whatever else she was going to say. "You know my address. Drive."

Alex nods, turns and rubs at the back of her neck and pulls out and onto the street, headed now toward Maggie's new place.

National City zooms by and the big falls off TJ windshield. No more distractions. Alex took her home.

To the apartment of so many firsts and memories, and nightmares and cuddles. To the place where it all ended.

Fuck, that hurts.

It's too easy, this rapport they've built up over the past week. So easy Maggie allowed herself to slip back into that vulnerable place of trusting that Alex will take care of her, to slip into a lack of attention she never permits with anyone anymore, not even with herself.

Over the next couple months, Alex essentially moves in to take care of Maggie,who tries to keep her guard up, tries not to be any more vulnerable than she needs to be, but it's kinda difficult when she needs help showering and clothing herself.

Alex remains as professional as possible, or as professional as you can be when you're seeing your ex so intimately. She sees Maggie in all her vulnerability following therapy session, eyes red-rimmed, lip shivering.

Alex hugs her tight, tears soaking right through to her heartstrings. And then they get into Maggie's car, emotions left in the parking lot, and become roommates again.

It's easier in the beginning, when there's a steady stream of colleagues, pals, and an almost mother-in-law to act as a buffer, but as the weeks go by, visits become texts and phone calls, and a biweekly Skype date with Eliza, and there's a lot more one on one time.

Maggie progresses remarkably well through both physical and occupational therapy, impressing herself more than anyone. As the weeks pass by, se continues to improve, and soon the weeks become two months.

The more mobile her shoulder gets, the less Maggie relies on Alex, and the more she misses it.

Evidently, so does Alex, who sits in the passenger's seat as Maggie drives home from her latest Sunday morning PT session.

Finally, Maggie has been cleared to live alone again, though she'll be riding the desk for at least another month while she focuses on regaining strength in her shoulder. The mood in the car is bittersweet. Maggie is eager to start doing things independently, as she always has, but a part of her doesn't want Alex to move out.

Of course, Maggie has known this day would come, has known that it would be hard. And knew it wouldn't be fair to either of them to ask Alex to just stay.

"Hey, um, do you think we can talk?"

The hesitation in Alex's voice has Maggie white knuckling the steering wheel.

"Of course, Danvers. Aren't we talking right now?"

Maggie smirks to cover up the nervousness settling in her veins, but stares at the road ahead.

Alex's voice sounds a little surer this time, as she asks Maggie to pull over at a nearby park, neutral territory. Maggie thinks this is how you're supposed to introduce dogs to one another before you decide to bring one into your home.

Alex steps out and Maggie takes the cue, locking the car over her shoulder as they head into the park, before settling on a bench overlooking a pond near the entrance.

"Y'know, I'm really proud of all the progress you've made in the past couple months, Maggie," Alex stares into Maggie's eyes, brown on brown, shiny nothing but admiration her way. "Not many people can bounce back from an injury like that so fast. But then, you've never been just anyone, have you?"

Maggie feels the heat rise to her face as her eyes flit to the pond, before coming back to meet Alex's gaze.

"Couldn't have done it without you, Danvers. You've been a big help to me...despite the circumstances. You didn't have to step up like that, but I'm really grateful you did. You're probably the only person I'd ever allow to sponge bathe me, so thanks for that," Maggie finishes with a chuckle.

Alex cracks a smile, eyes crinkling in amusement.

"I'm honored, truly. I hope you know I'm always around if you need me, day or night."

The sincerity in Alex's voice shakes Maggie's resolve.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it's been really nice spending time with you, Danvers. I'm almost sad that it's coming to an end," Maggie has to acknowledge it, or she'll get sucked back in.

Alex breaks eye contact, takes a visible deep breath, and then turns toward Maggie, "About that, Sawyer… what if I didn't want it to?"

Maggie's eyes go wide at the confession and then narrow in annoyance, "Look, Alex, I know how comforting it is to fall back on the old dynamic, but nothing has changed for me, and it wouldn't be fair to either of us to try to make this work."

Alex nods, "But the thing is, Mags, things have changed for me, drastically. Listening to Johnny Dvorak beg me to promise you'd be okay, that his dad would be okay? And not being able to make that promise? That just shattered something inside me. And I realized the whole kids thing, that could never work for me. Not with my job. And I know before I said I could transition into in-house operations, but let's face it, I've never been one to hang out on the sidelines. But even more than that, Mags? I don't want kids if it means I can't have you."

If Maggie is tearing up in public, she'll never admit it. But she swipes at her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket, and the shake in her voice is enough when she whimpers a pathetic, "Alex—".

"Let me finish, please?", Alex gently but firmly cuts her off. "I'm not sure if I'll have the balls to keep going if I stop now. I've been thinking about this for the past eight months, and I've been meaning to bring it up, but you were so vulnerable and raw from the shooting, it just never seemed like the right time. And I know, I know that this is overwhelming, and insane, and you can stop me if it's too much. The whole reason i wanted kids was to share that with you. I can't imagine parenting with anyone else. I've tried, and it just doesn't look right to me. But I also can't imagine continuing to live my life without you in it. And if you don't want kids, we won't have kids. Mags, I need you to know that you are enough for me. More than enough. I'm just sorry it took so long for me to realize that."

Maggie's mind is racing her rapidly accelerating heartbeat. Her nails dig into the flesh of her palm. Ah, pain. So she's not dreaming.

"I'm sorry," the conviction is lacking in Alex's voice now, the confidence diminished as Maggie's silence ticks on. "I just wanted you to know that. You don't have to say anything. It's a lot, I know."

Maggie nods, voice gravely with emotion, "Uh, yeah. It is." She's not sure where she's supposed to go from here.

"I understand if things have changed for you and you don't feel the same way, but I just can't imagine my life without you in it and I'd really like to give us another shot. If you want to, that is. No pressure."

No pressure? Maggie scoffs.

"I won't say I haven't thought about it. But here's the thing, Danvers. Our issue wasn't just kids. In the end, you foresaw this problem but didn't think to talk to me about it until the powder keg exploded. I can't be in a relationship with someone who won't communicate with me. I'm definitely not the queen of communication, Alex, but there's a difference between you and me. I've kept pieces of my past from you, because they hurt me and I wasn't ready for you to know them. But you've kept the expectations you have for our future to yourself. That's big. I don't know if I can trust that you won't do the same in the future."

Alex nods, solemnly.

"That's fair. I know you don't trust that easy, and I'm sorry to have broken your trust in me. I'm not sure if you came to any conclusions about us in your head. But as long as you'll have me, I want to be yours. So I'll do whatever I need to do to prove that to you."

It's quiet for a minute, save for the wind carrying ripples across the pond, the ducks milling around the bench, hoping for food. Alex's nervous foot tapping shakes the bench.

Maggie closes her eyes, does a quick breathing exercise, and lets the drawbridge down over the moat surrounding her heart.

"Therapy."

"I'm sorry?", Alex replies, brow furrowed in confusion.

"If this is going to work, I think we need to see a therapist. We both need to work on communication. It's not gonna be easy, and therapy is no miracle cure. But I'd like this to work out too, Alex."

Alex grins a megawatt smile, seemingly showing all of her teeth. A tear slips down her cheek. Maggie wipes it away, cups Alex's face. Alex leans into the touch. "I've missed this, you."

Alex nods, intending to agree. However, her reply is cut off by the ringing of her phone. Her work ringtone. Both women laugh, and Alex answers.

"You've got to go", Maggie states as Alex hangs up the phone. Alex grimaces.

"I'm sorry, I wish I didn't have to."

Maggie shakes her head. "No worries, I know the job. Besides, you can make it up to me Monday after work. Pizza and beer at my place?"

"It's a date."

As Alex heads to DEO headquarters on foot, she can't help but wonder if miracles are reserved for Sunday afternoons.

 **AN So friends, this is it. My first, and probably last, multi chapter fic. Thanks to all who have undertaken this journey with me, especially those who have favorited, commented, kudosed, bookmarked, etc. I hope you found it worthwhile.**


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